Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Early in the rule of Judah's King Jehoiakim, Josiah's son, this word came from the LORD:
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At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the Lord:
2 The LORD proclaims: Stand in the temple courtyard and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who have come to the temple to worship. Tell them everything I command you; leave nothing out.
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Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word.
3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. If they do, I will relent and not carry out the harm I have in mind for them because of the wrong they have done.
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It may be that they will listen, all of them, and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings.
4 So tell them, The LORD proclaims: If you don't listen to me or follow the Instruction I have set before you—
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You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you,
5 if you don't listen to the words of the prophets that I have sent to you time and again, though you haven't listened,
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and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently—though you have not heeded—
6 then I will make this temple a ruin like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse before all nations on earth.
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then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah declare these words in the LORD's temple.
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The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.
8 And when Jeremiah finished saying everything the LORD told him to say, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him and said, "You must die!
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And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die!
9 Why do you prophesy in the LORD's name that ‘this temple will become a ruin like Shiloh, and this city will be destroyed and left without inhabitant'?" Then all the people joined ranks against Jeremiah in the LORD's temple.
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Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, "This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went up from the royal palace to the LORD's temple and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD's temple.
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When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord.
11 The priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people: "This man deserves to die for prophesying against this city as you have all heard firsthand."
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Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."
12 Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, "The LORD sent me to prophesy to this temple and this city everything you have heard.
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Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, "It is the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.
13 So now transform your ways and actions. Obey the LORD your God, and the LORD may relent and not carry out the harm that he's pronounced against you.
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Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you.
14 But me? I'm in your hands. Do whatever you would like to me.
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But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.
15 Only know for certain that if you sentence me to death, you and the people of this city will be guilty of killing an innocent man. The LORD has in fact sent me to speak everything I have said to you."
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Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."
16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man doesn't deserve to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."
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Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God."
17 A few of the community elders got up and addressed the whole crowd:
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And some of the elders of the land arose and said to all the assembled people,
18 "Micah of Moresheth, who prophesied during the rule of Judah's Hezekiah, said to all the people of Judah, ‘The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Zion will be plowed down like a field, Jerusalem will become piles of rubble, and the temple mount will become an overgrown mound.'
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"Micah of Moresheth, who prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, said to all the people of Judah: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.'
19 “Did King Hezekiah or anyone else in Judah execute him? Didn't he instead fear the LORD and plead for his mercy? Then the LORD relented of the harm that he had pronounced against them. We are about to commit a huge mistake that will cost us our lives."
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Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and did not the Lord change his mind about the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster on ourselves!"
20 There was another man who prophesied in the LORD's name: Uriah, Shemaiah's son from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied the same things that Jeremiah did about this city and against this land.
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There was another man prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words exactly like those of Jeremiah.
21 When King Jehoiakim and all his warriors and officials heard his words, the king sought to kill him. Uriah heard of this and fled in fear to Egypt.
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And when King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt.
22 But King Jehoiakim dispatched Elnathan, Achbor's son, and others to Egypt.
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Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Achbor and men with him to Egypt,
23 They brought Uriah back from Egypt to the king who had him killed, and his body was thrown into the common burial ground.
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and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and threw his dead body into the burial place of the common people.
24 But Ahikam, Shaphan's son, protected Jeremiah and wouldn't let the people execute him.
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But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over into the hands of the people to be put to death.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.